Cleaner



PatentedtIamQ, V

U'Ni TED v f 2,186,140

, CLEANER V v k g 'Leonard J. Kurtz, Clevelanii OhioApplication-Januarylfl,1938, SeriallNo.184,575 I H scla ms. (Cl.15 136),I This-invention relates to ausurface cleaning deto the work, The inaybe controlled against vice'adapted to'be used as" an applicatorfor aoverfeedlng simply by the pad structure; or 7 cleaningfluid; Theprincipal use of the device valves may beused for more positive control.is for cleaning glass such as in windows, Wind- For instance, one typeof valve is illustratedfand.

v (i shields, etc. It is also, useful for cleaning any claimed in the'prior patent to Edw. Kurtz', V.-L.

hard smooth surface, such for instance as of Kurtz and myself'}'1,989,20l, issued January 29th, polished-metal, vitreous enamel,marble, etc. ,An 1935; Cloth-felt and similar materials wear outobjectis to-providea-cleaner device of the type too easily, willnothold'th ir sh ape,do not peremploying a pliable reservoir, whichdevice has mit application of. siifiicient scrubbing force toanimpro'ved scrubber and {applicator for clean dislodge-materials likelyto accumulate on glass, 10: ing fluid contained in the reservoir. I etcga'nd quickly become'clogged-With dirt and A-"specific object is toprovide; an improved s I l 'fmmd that sponge'rubbsr when cleaning-fluiddispenser and surface scrubber for used as the applicator. member, doesnot have a device such as mentioned above. some O the JQ drawbacks;bllt'iS Subjefit to pad r scrubber, whichwfll withstand 'gugh chemicalslikely to be encountered Wit, and usage, maintain its original shape,and perform moreover, that sponge rubber will not maintain its intendedfunctions for long-periods of time. its o si al' p r the d r l ng h ofime.

Still another object is to provide a one-piece A150, l found that e thea-m g a -6S 2'0 b mber which is adapted: to dispen of sponge rubber haveinsuflicien't strength to dis- 51k;

cleaningfluid ontoa'fiat surface, which member odge mater l fi y toaccumulate on for inis b t w t g tmi means for stance, automobileindshields, basement and pensifig th (fleaning fiuid a'f, t desird te tfactory windows. The arrangements known in the will of theoperator, andmm a plurality, the prior art have been pped wi h pecialcf'scrubbingsurfaces so associated with the con- Scrubbing i s vblll},$0 S I WQ these were cleaned.

trol means that each of the scrubbing surfaces not q t wit theapplicator as to will receiv e appropriate-portions of the fluid and V l}n e a directly therefrom; so arranged' as to permit-application ofstrong a new/filmed turning theclea'nel' from one scrubbing" forcesagainst the surface to. be position t another'in the fi Order to use 1them inthe intended manner; The present err-3o rangementhas anapplicator and cleaning memher which will maintain its'original shape,present the necessary scrubbing surfaces and edges to the'work at thetime of feeding cleaning fluid thereto and the discharge passagesfor-fluid are :31".- not likelyjto'become clogged with dirt or greaseorany other material.

Another difficulty encountered in the use of sponge rubber, felt, etc,as applicator pad material is thatwhen the opening or openings for disatpensing' fluid frointhe reservoir become clogged, the openings will notpermit an to get-intothereservoir to displace fluidv Which, hasbeen expelled therefrom whereby 'to prevent collapse 'of Other objects andfeatures will become apparent from ;the .following description relatingto the accompanying drawing showing the preferred form. The essentialcharacteristics are sum- 3 marized-inthe claims. v v h "Referring to thedrawing, Fig; l is a perspective View of, a cleaning. device embodyingthe invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View, taken centrallyof the device in a vertical plane; Fig.3 is a transverse sectional'viewtaken along the line 3-3 on Fig.- 2; Fig. 4"-is a bottom plan view ofthe device shown in 1; Fig. 5 is a sectional diagram, the plane of whichcorresponds generallywith that .of Fig, 3, illustrating one action Afurther object is to provide an applicator rapid w deleterious, actionthereon of the :walls, ofthe reservoir and distortion of the.

vichenmovedinfi t g g g ig g g 2 13 2 32, (ileaned, pad inwardly after aportion of the fluid hasbeen I and Figs. 6 and 7 are detail sectionalviews taken eXpeHed""Ir.1 h presgmarmngement h V the fine on Fig ,4 eachShowing a charge openings areennrely freefroznany s ructure inwhichabrasive or other material 15 likely differentform. of. controlvalve for flu d. m1 Odge v I p I 50 Devlce-s Ofthe type'shown usuallyhave Sponge Referring further to the drawingjl 'igs; l to 3' (natural orrubber) clothor felt applicators or show a suitable Shape of thereservoir body a pa s for e fluid containedinthe reservoir L te whichQsupports [the applicator and scrubber :2; uidv which may have abrasivematerial ssupended Th body shape may be greatly altered, to ,,fi't

therein gishadmitted=through--the pad structure specific,conditionsjorinstanceQitmambetshaped 553 more conveniently to fit the hand incertain cases and in order to enter narrow recesses into which thesurfaces to be cleaned may extend. The applicator is shown asrectangular in shape, but this may also be altered to suit the work.

The hollow body of the reservoir is preferably made of fairly strongthough pliable rubber or its equivalent, and is preferably molded in onepiece in the form of a cup. The body may have a generally rounded topportion 4 and a skirt portion 5 the inner rim surface of which is flatat 6 adjacent which is a flat shoulder which runs continuously about theinside of the body. Suitable strengthening ribbing 9 may be formedeither interiorly or exteriorly of the body or both,

as desired. A filler opening it is formed at the top, which is closed bya removable stopper H. The filler opening is preferably countersunk asat l2 to receive the stopper which is formed slightly oversize so astightly to fit the opening. The body I is shown as normally completelyclosed at the bottom, by the rubber applicator and valve member or pad2, the rubber of which may be of substantially the same consistency asthat of the body. The member 2 may be attached at its edges to thesurfaces 6 and l by suitable cement or by vulcanization or both. It isalso possible to make the applicator pad and the body all in one-pieceby suitable molds as is well understood in the art of making hollowrubber articles.

R ie'ferring further to the pad member 2 with which the presentinvention is principally concerned. This as will be seen from Figs. 2, 3and 4 comprises a generally flat section of pliable material such asrubber, having a central web I5 and inner and outer marginal flanges l6and H, the double flange forming a relatively stifi marginal support forthe web extending continuously about the peripheral portion of the pad.The top and side surfaces of the top flange are formed substantiallycomplementary to the surfaces 6 and 1 inside the skirt portion of thebody to which secured as mentioned above. The web l5 due to its relativethinness is fairly flexible and is substantially imperforate throughoutits area so as to hold the cleaning fluid inside the body. In one ormore places, the web is slit as at l8 to provide retaining valve means.normally holding back the fluid but opening automatically when the bodyis squeezed or pressed inwardly at its sides in order to dispense thefluid onto the surface to be scrubbed. Intermediately of-the twoportions which are slit to form the valve openings the web istransversely reinforced at the back as by an upwardly bowed or archedand fairly broad rib 20, the ends of which merge substantially with theweb material and terminate close to the inner flanges I 6 but do notjoin such flanges. The arch shape of the inner rib 29 and the fact thatthe ends of the rib taper down to nothing and merge with the diaphragmare important features in that the face of the pad is held againstexcessive bulging and indentation whenever the device is not in use,and, during flexing of the pad in use, the ends of the rib, beingflexibly hinged to theside flange to disjoin the flanges from the cup.If the ends of the rib were connected to the inner side portions oftheflanges, then, upon flexing of the central or web portion, therewould be a tendency for the flanges, to be pulled away from thecomplementary surfaces of the body to which attached. v

On the under or exposed face of the pad are a marginal flange U.

do not pull or twist the flanges, at least to such extent as would tendplurality of spaced ribs 25 preferably of rectangular section and withsmooth bottom faces located in the plane of the bottom surfaces of theThe ribs as shown, are of substantially the. same height as width (about/8" x /8 in a 2%" x 4%" pad), and extend from one end marginal rib tothe other. Both outer corners of each rib, preferably, are fairly sharp,for cutting action. The central rib branches at 26 inthe region ofeach'valve slit [8 so as to pass around it, forming a circular pocket26a as shown. The circular rib portions connect with other ribs 25 oneach side as at 21 for bracing efiect. Laterally aligned. with thecircular rib formations are transverse stiffening ribs 28 which extendin both directions from the pockets 26a to the side marginal flanges.The ribbing forms a series of elongated pockets which entrap fluidcleaner from the surface being cleaned and assist in uniformdistribution of it.

To relieve the slits and permit them to open easily upon subjection toatmospheric pressure outside the web and sub-atmospheric pressure insidethe reservoir, V-shaped recesses 30 maybe formed on the outside of theslit regions; the slits communicating with said recesses at their apicesas shown in Fig. 6. The web stock may be thinner at the circular regions(adjacentthe' slits) than at other. regions, for the same effect, assuggested in Fig. 7. The pockets Elia-adjacentthe slits do not ofcourse, have to be circular; this particular shape being selected onlybecause it simplifies the mold. r

A modificationof the inner rib which stiflens the web it is shown inFig. 5 wherein it will be noted that the rib (indicated 20a) is not of decreasing height toward its ends as previously ,de-' scribed, but,instead, continues across the web. substantially at'the same height asthe upper flange l6. Ween so formed, the ends of the rib are severedfrom the adjacent flanges I Is as by cutting at 2% with .a' knife. Thisprevents dawnward bowing of the Web and rib am from pulling? portions ofthe fluid on the surface to be cleaned. are caught by the rectangularpockets provided by the longitudinal and transverse ribbing for gradualdistribution over said surface. 'In case the fluid contains abrasive,such as French chalk, this is finally wiped off the surface with a clothor chamois. f'

Referring to Fig. 5 it will be noted that, when pressure is applied tothe sides of the body. i, the web and its ribbing bows outwardly andthus the surfaces of the ribs may be brought into forcible contact withthe work independently of the side and end-flanges H. An advantage ofthis is that the corners ofthe ribs o'f the web which stay sharpnotwithstanding long use can be used to cut material from the surfacetobe cleaned.

1. An applicator pad for a cleaning device of the class described,comprising singlepiece'of rubber having marginal portionsadapt ed to secure the pad to a holder, a relatively thin and readily flexible webwith a dispenser slit through it operable to release fluid only upon apredetermined degree of flexure of the web, and ribs in spaced relationto each other and projecting from.

one face of the web, said ribs being of substantially rectangular crosssection and at least as wide as they are high and having relativelysharp outer corners and adjacent flat surfaces all in approximately thesame plane for rubbing contact with the work, said ribs being flexiblysupported by the web, whereby to present their edges in cutting andwiping contact with such work,

forcing rib on the opposite face of the body extending generallycrosswise of the scrubber ribs.

3. An applicator for cleaning fluid comprising a single piece of rubberhaving a web and marginal flanges, the latter being adapted for securingthe applicator in a holder, scrubbing means on one face of the web forcontact with the work, and a transverse reinforcing rib on the oppositeside of the web extending substantially from one margin to the oppositemargin of the Web and decreasing in height at both ends.

4. In a surface cleaning device, a cup-shaped flexible hollow bodyadapted to form areservoir, a relatively thin-pliable rubber memberattached thereto at a rim portion of the cup and having scrubberprojections on the outer face, and a rib on the inner face extendingacross it, said rib of attachment of the member to the cup so thattherib will not tend to affect the attachment between the rubber memberand body during flexing of the member.

5. A surface cleaning device, comprising a hollow rubber body in theform of a cup adaptedto serve as a reservoir for cleaning fluid, aflexible rubber web member having a double peripheral flange one part ofwhich is secured to the inner rim surface of the cup at the sides andtop of the'flange, an outward surface of the flange being adapted forscrubbing engagement with a surface to be cleaned, ribs between theopposite portions of the flange for contact with said surface, anddispenser valve means associated with the web member fordepositingcleaner material on such surface between the ribs.

6. An applicator pad for a cleaning device of the class described,comprising a single piece of rubber adapted to form one wall of a.reservoir for cleaning fluid, the pad having scrubber projections' onone side and a flexible supporting web for the projections a'portion ofthe web having a through slit adapted to act as a valve to convey fluidfrom such reservoir, the projections including a rib member extendingentirely around the slit region to form an outwardly open pocket adaptedto be substantially closed by a flat surface to be cleaned when the padis in contact therewith.

7, A cleaning device comprising a hollow flexible body, adapted to serveas a reservoir for cleaning fluid, a' one-piece rubber applicatorforming one wall of the body and having a plurality of. projectionsthereon adapted for scrubbing contact with a surface to be cleaned, aslit in the applicator for dispensing fluid from the reservoir, a ribextending around the slit region to provide an outwardly open'pocket,and ribbing extending therefrom in a plurality of directions to bracethe wall of the pocket.

8. In a cleaner of the class described, a rubber member in the nature ofa thin walled diaphragm forming one wall of a reservoir, a slit in themem- 40 her to dispense fluid from the reservoir, and a cavity leadinginwardly from the outer face of the diaphragm and with diverging sidescommunicating with the slit, whereby a slight inward force as of airtends to open the slit in the event of less than atmospheric pressurewithin the reservoir. v

LEONARD J. KURTZ.

